Ejector foot restrainer for bomb ejector unit

ABSTRACT

An ejector-foot restrainer comprising a U-shaped member with inwardly extending shoulders at the upper end of the two upstanding members of the U. The shoulders permit the U-shaped member to be carried by a collar on the shaft of an ejector foot unit, with the base member coming between the bottom of the ejector foot and the top surface of a bomb, the base member filling the gap therebetween so as to prevent breakage of the ejector foot when the bomb ejector unit is actuated.

United States atent [19] Dexter et a1.

[ Dec. 2, 1975 I 1 EJECTOR FOOT RESTRAINER FOR BOMB EJECTOR UNIT [75] Inventors: John B. Dexter, California; Robert C. Mann, Lexington Park, both of Md.

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC.

221 Filed: Nov. 27, 1974 211 Appl. No.: 527,665

[52] US. Cl. 244/137 R; 89/1.5 R [51] Int. Cl? B64D l/06 [58] Field of Search 244/137 R, 136; 89/1.5 R,

89/1.5 A, 1.5 B, 1.5 C, 1.5 F, 1.5 G

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,845,002 7/1958 Ackerman, Jr. et a1. 89/1.5 R X 2,883,910 4/1959 Nessler 244/137 R X 2,896,509 7/1959 Musgrave 244/137 R X 3,242,808 3/1966 Nelson et al. 244/137 R X 3,431,824 3/1969 Damm 89/l.5 X 3,784,132 l/l974 Newell 89/l.5 X

FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,456,118 3/1969 Germany 244/137 R Primary ExaminerTrygve M. Blix Assistant Examiner-Douglas C. Butler Attorney, Agent, or Firm-R. S. Sciascia; P. Schneider [57] ABSTRACT An ejector-foot restrainer comprising a U-shaped member with inwardly extending shoulders at the upper end of the two upstandingmembers of the U. The shoulders permit the U-shaped member to be carried by a collar on the shaft of an ejector foot unit, with the base member coming between the bottom of the ejector foot and the top surface of a bomb, the base member filling the gap therebetween so as to prevent breakage of the ejector foot when the bomb ejector unit is actuated.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec. 2, 1975 m Om m A mm EJECTOR FOOT RESTRAINER FOR BOM EJECTOR UNIT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a bomb ejector unit and especially to means for preventing breakage of the ejector foot when the ejector unit is spaced from the bomb.

In aircraft bombing, a bomb is often carried beneath the fuselage of the plane and held in place by a bomb ejector unit. This unit has a bomb ejector foot which rests on the top surface of the bomb and pushes it away sharply when the bomb is released.

Unfortunately, the top surface of a practice bomb does not quite reach the ejector foot to make contact with it. There is a gap between the ejector foot and the top surface which acts to induce breakage of the foot when the foot is driven downward sharply to release the practice bomb in a positive manner.

This gap is especially true of the U.S. Air Force MAC-79 Ejector Unit when used with the MAK-79 Practice Bomb.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objects and advantages of the present invention are accomplished by an ejector-foot restrainer comprising a U-shaped member which is attached to the shaft of the ejector foot and which has a base member. The base member has sufficient thickness to fill the gap between the bottom of the ejector foot and the top surface of a practice bomb.

An object of the invention is to prevent breakage of the ejector foot or its shaft when a bomb is used with the ejector, which leaves a gap between the bottom of the ejector foot and the top surface of the bomb.

Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawmgs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is the U-shaped ejector-foot restrainer of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is the ejector-foot unit including the U-shaped restrainer of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises, as indicated in FIG. 1, a roughly U-shaped member having a pair of upstanding sides 12 and 12 from each of which a shoulder 14 and 14' extends inwardly i.e., the shoulders extend toward each other but do not meet.

The ejector-foot restrainer 10 is intended to be used, as shown in FIG. 2, with the bomb ejector of a MAK-79 bomb ejector unit 20. This unit is slung on the bottom of a military aircraft and has racks 22 and 22' fitted for carrying a missile or bomb 24 in the horizontal position as viewed in FIG. 2.

The bomb is held by both front and rear holding hooks 30' and 30 on the racks 22 and 22. In addition to releasing these hooks, a push is desired for positive ejection of the bomb.

When the bomb is to be released, the pilot presses a button which fires a charge in the bomb ejector unit 20. The explosion forces the ejector-foot shaft 26 sharply downward so that the ejector, or driving, foot 28, which lies on the top surface of the bomb, exerts enough force to push the bomb away positively after contact between the bomb and the hooking feet 30 and 30 of the bomb racks 22 and 22 is broken. Thebomb then falls clear of the plane.

When a practice bomb is used, its top surface is not in contactwith the driving foot 28- there is a gap between them. No-push by the ejector unit is required to release the practice bomb since it is held only by the front hooks and is easily released. The gap is sufficient to permit the ejector foot 28 to be broken from the ejector-foot shaft 26 when the explosive charge is fired.

The ejector-foot restrainer 10 has a base, or bottom, member 16 which is just thick enough to permit it to contact both the top surface of a practice bomb and the bottom surface of the ejector foot 28. The height of the sides 12 and 12' is just sufficient to permit the bottom of the shoulder 14 and 14 to rest on a flange 32 which encircles the shaft 26 of the ejector foot.

Thus, all that has to be done, when the ejector unit 20 is being assembled before a practice-bomb flight, is to put the ejector-foot restrainer in place as shown and put the whole ejector-foot assembly into the ejector unit. The latter is then ready to be used with practice bombs without being subject to breakage of the ejector foot or its shaft.

The ejector-foot restrainer is thus easily placed on the shaft and easily removed and may have its base member 16 made in various thicknesses to allow for different gaps if different bombs are to be dropped from time to time.

The restrainer may be made of metal or of a strong, rigid material such as plastic.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. An ejector-foot restrainer, for use with an aircraft ejector-foot unit having a driving foot, a shaft connected thereto and a collar around said shaft, comprising:

a substantially U-shaped member having a shoulder extending inwardly from each of its upstanding sides, the shoulders being supportable by the collar on the shaft of the ejector-foot unit,

the base of the U-shaped member extending below the driving foot of the ejector-foot unit so the driving foot rests in contact with the upper surface of said base, and

the spatial position of the U-shaped member being fixed relative to the driving foot so that they move in concert with each other.

2. An ejector-foot restrainer as in claim 1, wherein said base has a thickness which is sufficient to fill the gap between the bottom of the driving foot and the top of a bomb supported by said aircraft ejector-foot unit.

3. An ejector-foot restrainer, for use with an aircraft ejector-foot unit having a driving foot, a shaft connected thereto and a collar around said shaft, comprisa substantially U-shaped member having a horizontal base with a top and a bottom surface, an upstanding side at each end of said base and a shoulder at the upper end and extending inwardly of each side, the shoulders sitting on the collar on said shaft so member moves in unison with the shaft whenever the latter moves, and the thickness of the base of the U-shaped member being such as to just fill any gap between the top of an object being carried by the aircraft ejector-foot unit and the bottom surface of said base. 

1. An ejector-foot restrainer, for use with an aircraft ejectorfoot unit having a driving foot, a shaft connected thereto and a collar around said shaft, comprising: a substantially U-shaped member having a shoulder extending inwardly from each of its upstanding sides, the shoulders being supportable by the collar on the shaft of the ejector-foot unit, the base of the U-shaped member extending below the driving foot of the ejector-foot unit so the driving foot rests in contact with the upper surface of said base, and the spatial position of the U-shaped member being fixed relative to the driving foot so that they move in concert with each other.
 2. An ejector-foot restrainer as in claim 1, wherein said base has a thickness which is sufficient to fill the gap between the bottom of the driving foot and the top of a bomb supported by said aircraft ejector-foot unit.
 3. An ejector-foot restrainer, for use with an aircraft ejector-foot unit having a driving foot, a shaft connected thereto and a collar around said shaft, comprising: a substantially U-shaped member having a horizontal base with a top and a bottom surface, an upstanding side at each end of said base and a shoulder at the upper end and extending inwardly of each side, the shoulders sitting on the collar on said shaft so that the U-shaped member depends from said collar, the shaft and driving foot extending downward into said U-shaped member, the length of said sides being such that the driving foot is in contact with the upper surface of said base, the spatial position of said U-shaped member being fixed with respect to the driving shaft so that the member moves in unison with the shaft whenever the latter moves, and the thickness of the base of the U-shaped member being such as to just fill any gap between the top of an object being carried by the aircraft ejector-foot unit and the bottom surface of said base. 